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Macfeast
Rohan
Jul 25 2015, 4:30pm
Post #26 of 40
(1884 views)
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Of course. I know you to be very fair.
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I wouldn't necessarily blame anyone for instinctively thinking "younger" when you start talking about the kind of physical activity that a character like Thorin gets into. Just throwing out a little recognition and support for those older actors that might have been able to get the job done.
I think somewhere around the breakpoint of late 50, early 60 (which seems to me to be the age span of many of the popular choices) might be a very good starting point for an older Thorin. Not so old as to be incapable of enduring the physical hardship required for the role, and a good starting point to let the prosthetic work suggest an older age. Ken Stott, for example, was in his late 50's when filming began, but I find that the white hair and beard made him look comparatively older than that, closer to 70+ (or, well, the dwarven equivalent of 70+). I don't doubt that there are actors above 70 that might have been able to get the job done, but you wouldn't necessarily have to aim at that age span specifically, to portray an older Thorin.
(This post was edited by Macfeast on Jul 25 2015, 4:44pm)
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Starling
Half-elven
Jul 25 2015, 9:07pm
Post #27 of 40
(1850 views)
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Oliver Reed was famous for (among many other things)
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turning up drunk on set during the Musketeers films, and shooting sword fighting scenes when he was absolutely plastered, which was terrifying for the other actors. He was a hellraiser of epic proportions.
I adore him, he was one of my first childhood crushes. I can't believe he lived as long as he did.
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dormouse
Half-elven
Jul 25 2015, 10:06pm
Post #28 of 40
(1840 views)
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We shared a crush, Starling....
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.. when I went up to university for the first time a signed photo of Oliver Reed turned up in my pigeon-hole with the post one day. It was Mum's way of giving me something to smile about - don't know how she fixed it, I think she'd written to someone. I was desperately embarrassed - but I kept the photo (still got it)! 
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the 13th warrior
Rivendell
Jul 25 2015, 10:36pm
Post #29 of 40
(1832 views)
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Dillane's Great, but what of Clive Standen or Eric Bana or Clive Owen???
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Hello Goldeneye (you are a Tokien/Game of Thrones/007 fan??) -
Giving you total props on the Dillane idea. He's been fantastic on GOT and would bring many great qualities to the role of Thorin. Bravery, but callous too. A smart commander, but win at all costs/stubborn streak leads to self destruction. The way he stares into the fire like a maniac in GOT, he'd be perfect for the pool of gold madness scene in Hobbit 3.
Dillane is really good at showing he has dark impulses inside, but like many GOT male characters on the outside, he is lordly, gentlemanly in most of his dealings with commanders and subordinates. His nice scene with Sam Tarley in the Night's Watch library reviewing how to battle the Walkers might be a hint of how he'd play against Bilbo--there is bit of haughty authority on his part, but he does respect Sam's ability to investigate information and would come to appreciate Bilbo too.
Want to throw in some other names I also think are viable:
Clive Standen, saw him as Sir Gawain in Camelot TV series, and he certainly has the look, the warrior skills and a nasty angry streak which would be good for Thorin. Haven't seen him in Vikings or his other action dramas.
Eric Bana, this might be a surprise, but Bana is very versatile. Made a great Prince of Troy Hector in movie Troy, where he played well against Brian Cox, Agammenon, in a big verbal showdown scene. Very spirited in his fighting for a cause to save Troy, Mother of us all, and rallying the troops. Could totally do the come with me and battle for the last time for our homeland speech to the dwarves.
Bana also quite good at being the brooding monarch--he played Henry the 8th very differently than others in the Other Boleyn Girl--a younger more indecisive Henry who was sometimes frozen in his inability to make a choice, then impulsively makes a bad one.
Clive Owen was great as King Arthur, so he'd be fine at projecting a warrior/ruler air. He also has that handsome, but dark featured face that can go from courageous onto crazy in an instant. Certainly showed his nasty aggressive streak in Sin City, so he could handle the aspects of Thorin getting tough on the dwarves, Bilbo, and how he is slowly going batty for the Arkenstone.
Just a few ideas, great call on Dillane,
The 13th Warrior, Left Field Caliphate,
"From the scroll room of Gondor..."
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Kilidoescartwheels
Valinor
Jul 27 2015, 4:04pm
Post #30 of 40
(1766 views)
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I doubt Clive Standring is old enough
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though he could probably play a younger dwarf. Clive Owen is an interesting choice, Eric Bana could rock the beard but again I think he's too young for what the OP had in mind.
Proud member of the BOFA Denial Association
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Milieuterrien
Rohan
Jul 27 2015, 4:36pm
Post #31 of 40
(1757 views)
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Jean Reno (the actor who played 'Leon with young Natalie Portman')
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... Because he is french, of course.
I saw Thorin as a bearded dwarf of a certain age, naturally keeper of authority but somewhat flawed in his judgment, and sometimes able of anger (the rampart incident, burst against Thranduil).
Jean Reno is a man able to act without talking, which suits a character that doesn't speak very much, but speaks only to be very assertive even when he's wrong.
And age for age, with a beard he would not be too old, he would not be too young.
His face is large and respectable, and his expression carries something stubborn I would like to see.
RA was fine among the finests, but I don't believe Tolkien's Thorin really had to be a tortured hero.
He could as well be somebody looking a bit like Theoden, another king, the character who carries the most resemblances with Thorin among LOTR characters.
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the 13th warrior
Rivendell
Jul 28 2015, 8:55am
Post #32 of 40
(1727 views)
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I think I might rank them.....
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Hello Kili-cart, I might go 1) Dillane 2) tie Clive Owen, Eric Bana 4) Clive Standen,
I have only seen Clive Standen in Camelot TV show and he was a vicious loner knight, killing machine, who Arthur and others had to talk into joining the Round Table efforts. Became a decent honorable guy later. Perhaps a bit too dark, more killer/hunter/warrior than king material. But hard to judge him in a unrelated role, and he might be fine as Thorin.
I would like to give Dillane a serious shot in our fantasy casting. He's lean and hawk like as Stannis in GoT, would need totally different look, but that is makeup, hair, costuming. He knows how to act like a ruler/military commander and can make The Speech that inspires troops against grim odds. Also GoT shows he is capable of making very bad decisions too, and he has moral corruption in his heart as well. There is fertile ground for a Thorin character study there.
Very torn between Eric Bana and Clive Owen--perhaps edge to Owen cause Thorin must have a dark side and Owen has a crazed, ferocious side. But Bana is such a good, versatile, capable actor and he shined in Munich, Troy, Other Boleyn Girl, very demanding parts. Can project royal air, fine warrior, and he was a young dark brooding Henry the 8th.
This is fun, go Middle Earth/Hollywood, we can look at head shots, audition dvds, talk casting, drama points, while eating long lunches with wine coolers on Elrond's Rivendell outdoor veranda.
Ciao babe, we'll do lunch and recast Thorin,
The 13th Warrior, Left Field Caliphate,
"From the scroll rooms of Gondor...."
(This post was edited by the 13th warrior on Jul 28 2015, 8:59am)
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iduna
Rivendell
Jul 30 2015, 4:57pm
Post #33 of 40
(1673 views)
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Of course Richard Armitage owns the role now
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And there aren't enough words of praise for me to express how wonderfully he played Thorin. He is Thorin, for me.
But I had to laugh, because Oliver Reed was one of my first-ever movie star crushes too! He may have been a hellraiser and a massive migraine headache to work with, but he was thrilling to watch.
Anyway, what I was going to say was that if Richard hadn't been able to play the role of Thorin for whatever reason, I think Graham McTavish would have made an excellent Thorin. He certainly could be the angriest dwarf in Middle-earth. He has the natural leadership qualities. He can -- and has -- played characters who are unhinged, others who are noble and fierce, good, evil, Shakespearean and modern. He would have brought a very different vibe to the character, but he would have been a good choice. And physically he's strong and fit.
I still love Graham's creation of Dwalin, though. Thorin's personality was written by Tolkien, but Dwalin is an original character and I think he's perfectly dwarfy -- strong, tough, and loyal to the core.
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Starling
Half-elven
Jul 30 2015, 5:55pm
Post #34 of 40
(1666 views)
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make a lace doilie collar look manly.
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iduna
Rivendell
Jul 30 2015, 6:02pm
Post #35 of 40
(1665 views)
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He looks like he could make that lace collar spontaneously combust.
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Starling
Half-elven
Aug 2 2015, 4:39am
Post #36 of 40
(1640 views)
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I am watching The Three Musketeers now
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For research purposes, you understand.
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iduna
Rivendell
Aug 2 2015, 4:59am
Post #37 of 40
(1638 views)
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The Assassination Bureau is my favorite. 
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Starling
Half-elven
Aug 2 2015, 5:08am
Post #38 of 40
(1634 views)
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When I manage to tear my eyes away
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from a certain fellow, I am reminded what a terrific cast it is, including the wonderful Christopher Lee. I love the silliness of this film, it has a sort of Python quality at times. Whenever I watch it I have a lovely trip down the memory lane of childhood, and remember going into town to see this at the movies (a rare outing and very exciting event).
Returning to important matters of research, I notice that it is not just the look of a certain someone that is so enthralling, but also the voice...that voice.
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AshNazg
Gondor
Aug 2 2015, 12:13pm
Post #39 of 40
(1614 views)
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It's often made fun of that Yoda is this agile, energetic ninja in the prequels and a frail and senile creature who has to cling to Luke's back in the originals.
The logic is that Yoda is younger in the prequels, so he's more youthful and energetic, which appears to make sense at first. But when you think that in the originals he was 900, in the prequels he was 874! Which is still ancient. In the grand scheme of his long life those extra 26 years are probably not that significant.
I think it was important to depict Thorin as an older man. You can argue that Tolkien didn't specifically intend this, but I think the "long white beard" is evidence that Tolkien wanted him to look old. The reason for this is to create a sense of history and to emphasise that dwarves are not immortal. Yes, they live for a very long time, but that doesn't mean that they age slower.
If you have a character that is 165 or 195 years old, you need to show that age somehow so that the audience is aware of the character's mortality. The problem is made worse when you have flashbacks in which the characters do not appear to age. For somebody unfamiliar with the lore, everyone just seems to live forever in the films with no sign of slowing down.
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Otaku-sempai
Immortal
Aug 2 2015, 12:53pm
Post #40 of 40
(1608 views)
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If you look closely at the flashbacks to Smaug's coming and the Battle of Moria, Thorin was made to look younger than he appears in the rest of the films. You can argue that the age difference should be more apparent, but it is there.
"At the end of the journey, all men think that their youth was Arcadia..." - Phantom F. Harlock
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